Employee theft seems to be something that is overlooked when it comes to loss in stores, but in reality, it is something that could even be more alarming than theft by outsiders. Admittedly, overt internal investigations can cause unwanted tension in the workplace. While these may eventually be needed, perhaps a better place to start would be surveillance. An experienced surveillance investigator can help in uncovering any case of employee theft as discreetly as possible.
According to Fox Business, “Most small business owners don’t get the police involved when they catch an employee stealing from them, new research finds.” Why? Because sometimes the business owner doesn’t feel that the incident warrants any extra effort, or believes that the cost and time in engaging the police (and consequently, the Courts) will not offer any real benefit. This kind of thinking, however, can serve as a bad seed that can lead to other problems for the business. Any incident of employee theft should, therefore, be closely looked into to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Employee theft can come in many forms, from pilfering of merchandise, to stealing intellectual property or any confidential information, to collecting pay for time not actually worked. This can usually be prevented by doing background checks on the employees, or changing office policies or system to ensure that there are no opportunities to steal.
If theft is suspected, internal investigations must be done discreetly and factually. Making any accusations without concrete evidences can damage relationships between employer and employee, as well as affect relationships in the workplace. This is why it is important that there are solid facts and evidences before making any move.
If there is a growing suspicion of employee theft in a business, a private investigator surveillance firm can help look into it and find out who may be behind it. Not only that, a discreet investigation can also unearth any underlying reason for the employee theft, such as discontent with the pay or with the company’s policies. If one person feels this way, others in the company may share the same sentiment and could also resort to measures that will harm the company. Additionally, a thorough investigation can reveal loopholes in the company’s operations and security measures that have allowed such incidents to take place.
Look for firms with the right experience, such as Phenix Investigations, Inc., which can be relied on to weed out the “bad apples” in your business.